25 years on, pre-Independence theatre club stages a coup

The Sunday Delhi Newsline, Sunday Express, May 11, 2008
Vandana Kalra

New Delhi, May 10: In 1943, when the struggle for independence was at its peak, it was passion for theatre that got three government employees — Om Sharma, R M Kaul and Devi Chand Kayasth — together. With the establishment of the ‘Three Arts Club’, the trio created for a platform to showcase their talent and within a short span of time the group received wide acclaim, giving performances across the country and producing several celebrated plays — including Faisla, Under Secretary, Hamara Gaon and Uljhan.

“Those were the glorious years. Several luminaries used to be in the audience when we performed,” recalls Sadhna Bhatnagar, who joined the club as a 27-year-old actor in 1971. “A lot has changed since then. And with remorse she recalls the abandonment of the group in 1983 with the demise of Kaul: “It marked an end of era.”

Now, 25 years later, the theatre artist is all set to revive the group along with Kaul’s daughter Anuradha Dar. The comeback will be made with a three-day theatre festival, beginning Sunday, at Sri Ram Centre: on the stage will be three of its popular productions Paisa Bolta Hai, Under Secretary and Bade Admi. “We hope to bring back the past glory. The group holds fond memories for theatre enthusiasts from that period,” says Dar, as she oversees rehearsal for the play Bade Admi in a small room in Shankar Market.

Written in the 1960s by Ramesh Mehta, Bhatnagar says the topic is still relevant. “It deals with the changing social order and the tendency to flaunt — and that phenomenon is just as relevant now.”

Apart from minor alterations like change in the name of the car from Impala to Jaguar, the script is largely the same.

The cast, too, has been chosen keeping in mind the club’s original aim — to promote amateur talent. “Professionals have several avenues but the choice is still limited for amateurs,” Dar says. So among others, her troupe includes a doctor, student, homemaker, and a radio jockey. “They are not professional but they are eager to learn and put in their best,” says Bhatnagar, who is directing the production.

“We have to live up to the group’s past,” says Aniket Malhotra, 22, a student who makes his stage debut.

For NDMC employee Govind Bajpai, the group’s revival marks the fulfillment of a long-cherished dream: “I always wanted to be part of a Three Arts Club production.”

Entry to the festival is only by invitation but Dar intends to reach out to the masses soon. “We hope to stage productions across the country,” she asserts.